Knowledge Organiser – The Mayan civilisation and religion Mayan gods and key places Key Vocabulary Definition Itzamna The most important Maya god was Itzamna. Itzamna was the god of fire who created the Earth. He was ruler of heaven as well as day Ahaw or Ahau The main ruler of a Maya city-state and night. Kukulkan Kukulkan was a powerful snake god whose name means "feathered Glyphs The Mayan way of writing serpent". He was the primary god of the Itza people in the latter part of the Maya civilization. Popol Vuh A book or codex that described Maya Bolon Tzacab Also known by the name Huracan (similar to our word for hurricane), religion or mythology Bolon Tzacab was the god of storms, wind, and fire. Maya mythology Tzolk’in The Maya religious calendar used to said that he caused a great flood to come when the Maya angered track religious days and ceremonies. It the gods. had 260 days. Chaac Chaac was the god of rain and lightning. He had a lighting axe that Bloodletting The ritualized self-cutting or piercing he used to strike the clouds and produce rain and storms. of an individual's body in attempt to Chichen Itza The most powerful city-state during the start of the Post-classic communicate with the gods. period, Chichen Itza is a very popular tourist attraction today. Temple of the Situated in the Mayan city of Palenque, in the midst of a tropical Temple The Mayan place of worship Inscriptions jungle. Hidden in the pyramid was the funeral chamber of King Pakal,

Sarcophagus A stone coffin Mayans were buried in who ruled for 68 years.

What you will learn: Mesoamerica A region of Mexico and central America occupied by Mayans and • Who the Mayans were and where they were from Aztecs • The main gods worshiped in Mayan culture

• The different ways of practicing religion in the Mayan civilisation

• Some key religious places for Mayan religious worship • Where the Mayans believed you went after death • How the practices and beliefs of Mayan religion changed over time